by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
MIAMI, FL (Worthy News) – A federal judge on Thursday night ordered the Trump administration to halt expansion of its controversial immigrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” citing violations of environmental law and tribal access rights.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ruled that the facility–built on the site of the old Dade-Collier Training Airport–may remain operational for now but must dismantle major infrastructure within 60 days. That includes fencing, industrial lighting, generators, sewage systems, and other temporary structures that had been added to accommodate thousands of detainees.
The center, championed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, was designed to hold up to 5,000 migrants. Trump toured the site with DeSantis last month, praising its remote location deep in the Everglades wetlands.
Williams, however, sided with environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, who argued the project bypassed required environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The lawsuit alleged the facility threatened endangered species like the Florida panther and the bonneted bat, and risked polluting tribal lands downstream.
“The government was required to do an environmental assessment of the site before building it, but chose not to do so,” Williams wrote in her ruling. She further emphasized that political leaders have long pledged to protect and restore the Everglades: “This Order does nothing more than uphold the basic requirements of legislation designed to fulfill those promises.”
The judge also mandated that Native American tribal members be given access to the site and ordered the removal of temporary fencing that blocked entry.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) blasted the ruling. “This ruling from an activist judge ignores the fact that this land has already been developed for a decade,” said DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin. “We have the law, the facts, and common sense on our side.”
Lawfare Against Trump’s Agenda
Conservatives argue that the decision is part of a broader lawfare campaign–the strategic use of lawsuits and courts to stall, delegitimize, or block Trump administration policies. Critics note that activists are wielding environmental statutes and procedural laws to slow immigration enforcement, much as previous lawsuits stalled Trump’s travel bans and border wall construction.
“This isn’t about protecting bats or trees,” said one Florida GOP strategist. “It’s about tying the administration up in endless court battles so it can’t carry out the will of the voters.”
The state of Florida and the Trump administration immediately filed notice of appeal and are expected to seek a stay of the order.
“Alligator Alcatraz” has already drawn criticism beyond environmental concerns. Earlier this month, detainees filed a separate lawsuit alleging unsafe and unsanitary conditions, including flooding, untreated illnesses, and poor access to legal counsel. DHS has denied those claims, insisting the facility meets federal detention standards.
The ruling represents a setback for Trump’s broader push to expand detention capacity as part of what he has described as the largest deportation effort in U.S. history. Florida has already announced plans to open a second facility, nicknamed “Deportation Depot,” while Indiana and Nebraska are preparing similar projects.
Whether the Everglades site can remain viable without its infrastructure remains unclear. Williams’s order allows some housing structures to remain but effectively strips the project of essential utilities.
For now, the future of “Alligator Alcatraz” lies in the hands of the appellate courts–while environmentalists and tribal leaders celebrate what they call a victory for Florida’s fragile wetlands and cultural heritage, and Trump allies see it as one more front in the lawfare battle against his administration.
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